Friday, May 5, 2017

Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy must
work to save the universe from a new threat that could end life as the universe
knows it. There are themes that will be very relevant to adoption audiences;
Star-Lord’s mother died at the beginning of the first film, and that is
revisited here. The rest of the review will have spoilers, as many of the
relevant themes are also central to the plot.

SPOILERS AHEAD THE REST OF THE WAY

The Adoption
Connection

Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord, never knew his father.
Peter is asked about his heritage, and he is at a loss for an answer; a
character comments that he is sensitive about his father, and Peter replies
that he just doesn’t “know who he is.” As a young boy, Peter watched as his
mother died of a brain tumor. He was abducted by a Ravager named Yondu; Yondu
raised Peter, but was abusive, and as a young adult Peter has feuded with
Yondu.

HUGE SPOILERS IN THE NEXT TWO PARAGRAPHS:

In this film, we
learn Peter’s history. His father is Ego, a godlike being who sired Peter, but
who abandoned Peter’s mother because he did not want to lose his own
immortality. In fact, Ego’s quest for immortality has led him to create many
children of many different species, hoping to find one that could help him
become immortal. He has killed all of his other children, but believes that
Peter can help him be immortal. Ego reveals that he also killed Peter’s mother
by implanting the brain tumor into her. We also learn that Yondu was hired by
Ego to bring Peter to Ego, but Yondu could not bring himself to turn Peter over
to Ego because he knew what Ego had done to his other children. Yondu
ultimately dies in an effort to save Peter, and Peter decides that Yondu was
his father figure, and that the other Guardians of the Galaxy are his family.

Yondu has a heart-to-heart conversation with Rocket, a
Guardian of the Galaxy who is often sarcastic and caustic. Yondu says that,
like himself, Rocket pushes people away because he is scared of being loved,
and his fear of love comes from past rejection.

END OF THE MAJOR SPOILERS, BUT SPOILERS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT
THE REVIEW

The Guardians of the Galaxy form a family of sorts.

An alien race called The Sovereign genetically manufacture
their offspring, and produce them in birthing pods.

One character cries for his lost daughter. Another laments
the fact that, “my own damn parents sold me into slavery.”

When he finds his father, Peter tells a friend, “I finally
found my family.” She had considered him family and says, “I thought you
already had.”

Strong Points

BIG SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH: Yondu acts honorably, and
also expresses his thoughts and feelings to Peter and to Rocket. After being
very disappointed after meeting his father, Peter realizes that he has had

a
father figure, albeit an imperfect one, in Yondu, and he is able to celebrate
his life and mourn for him. Before his passing, Yondu tells Peter that Ego “may
have been your father, but he wasn’t your daddy. I’m sorry I didn’t do any of
it right… I’m damn lucky you’re my boy.” Peter later reflects on the
possibility that, “the thing you’re searching for your whole life is right
beside you all along.” (END BIG
SPOILERS, BUT SPOILERS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS REVIEW)

The Ravagers expel Yondu after coming to believe that he
kidnapped Peter; although they’re a rough crowd, they have a moral code.

We’re able to understand the factors which underlie
different characters’ behaviors.

Challenges

Peter’s relationship with his father Ego could be very hard
for kids and teens who long for parents that they have not known, or with whom
they’ve lost contact. Peter has longed to know his father. Peter is told that
his father “lies awake worrying about you.” When they meet, Peter is enthralled
by him, and for a short time he learns from his father; his father teaches him
how to use some powers, and tells Peter, “you’re home.” However, Peter ultimately
finds out that his father is manipulative and has very sinister motives for
seeking him out – and finds out that (BIG SPOILER) his father killed his mother
by planting a brain tumor in her, and has killed many of his offspring who
failed him. He eventually attempts to impale and imprison Peter, and Peter
decides, “I have to kill Dad.” In his quest to kill his birth father, Peter is
supported by his adoptive father figure. Yondu dies in front of Peter while
saving Peter – it’s the second time that Peter has a parent figure die in front
of him. (END OF BIG SPOILER, BUT OTHER
SPOILERS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW) One of the Guardians had commented earlier
that if Peter’s dad turns out to be evil, “We’ll just kill him.”

Peter initially denies that Yondu could have been his father
because he’s not a blood relative. Peter also reports that Yondu threatened to
beat him and also threatened to eat him.

One character, who was forced to compete with her sister and
tortured by her father, now plans to murder her sister and tear her father apart;
the abuse she suffered has turned into hatred. The sisters mend their
relationship, but one still sets off to kill her father, who is a supervillain.

Recommendations

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 may be the best movie I’ve seen so
far this year. I loved the first Guardians movie, and this one is better. But
wow, is there a lot of heavy stuff that can bristle against sensitivities
towards parental loss, abusive parents, and fantasies about absent parents. This
movie has the potential to be painful for viewers, but could also be very
cathartic for others. It’s probably best left to pre-teens and teenagers, and
their parents.

During Guardians of the Galaxy 2, I found myself
unexpectedly thinking of another adoption-related film, which might be a better
choice for younger viewers. Ego asks Peter to “come home” so that he can teach
Peter his heritage and be a father to him. This reminded me of Po’s offer from
his father Li in Kung Fu Panda 3, (click here for that review), but the
comparison falls apart; Peter’s father is only self-seeking, while Li actually
wanted to be a dad to Po.

Questions for
Discussion

If you had empathic abilities like Mantis, what would you
use them for?

In what ways was Yondu a good dad to Peter? In what ways
wasn’t he? What do you think of him overall?